Does a fasting diet really work?New research finds little benefit

Tuesday, September 29, 2020 (HealthDay News)-More and more people are looking to “intermittent fasting” to lose weight, but the jury is still discussing whether tactics work. I will.

In a new clinical trial, researchers found that one type of intermittent fasting helped overweight and obese adults lose a few pounds in 12 weeks. But they couldn’t beat the comparison group they ate whenever they wanted.

The findings are inconsistent with some recent studies suggesting that a diet is effective. And the researchers said this was not the last word of an intermittent fast.

For one thing, according to Christa Baradi, a professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois at Chicago, many find this tactic easy to implement.

And that’s a plus, she said, because sustainable weight loss requires sustainable lifestyle changes.

Not involved in the new research, Varady is doing his own research on intermittent fasting. Specifically, it is a version known as a time-limited diet. It gives people a limited time frame to eat every day.

In a recent study, Varady’s team found that a diet helped them lose about 3% of their starting weight in eight weeks. In contrast, those who adhered to their usual dietary habits did not see any change.

The principle behind a time-limited meal is simple. People don’t have to change what they eat, they just limit their diet to a specific time period.

“There are natural calorie restrictions that occur just by looking at the clock,” said Varady. “People seem to like it because it’s simple. There’s no calorie counting and no need to buy special food.”

But just because you like something doesn’t mean it’s effective. And, despite the popularity of fasting-type diets, there are studies that have only recently begun to test them.

New trial published online on September 28 JAMA Internal Medicine, The latest.

In this study, researchers randomly assigned 116 overweight or obese adults to continue a time-limited diet for 12 weeks or maintain a normal diet.Time-limited groups were told to eat only from noon to 8 pm

In the end, those participants lost about £ 2 on average. However, those who stuck to their usual routine also lost a little weight. In other words, there was no statistically significant difference between the two groups.

Researchers led by Dr. Ethan Weiss of the University of California, San Francisco have admitted that their findings are inconsistent with some previous studies. The potential reason they speculated was that the 8-hour meal time frame was “not optimal.”

In her study, Varady tested both 4-hour and 6-hour windows. Both were equally effective in weight loss.

She said participants in the new study weren’t tracking what they ate-it leaves unanswered questions in the study setting. There is no way to know if people have changed their calorie or nutrient intake.

Jennifer Bruning is a Dietitian and Registered Nutritionist and Spokesperson of the Academy of Nutrition. She wasn’t surprised at the discovery.

“It may not be the best way to induce weight loss,” Bruning said, simply instructing people to eat between noon and 8 pm, without portion control or other dietary advice. Stated.

And in clinical trials, people are randomly assigned to a diet that they may or may not like. Bruning pointed out that in the real world, people prefer intermittent fasting and will generally choose and adjust their meal timeframes to suit their lifestyle.

“If you find intermittent fasting attractive because of its simplicity, it can be done safely by most people,” Bruning said.

But she also needs to pay special attention to some people and consult a doctor first-including people with time-sensitive medications that need to be taken with food. People with diabetes; and people with a history of eating disorders.

And no matter what diet plan a person chooses, weight loss goals shouldn’t come at the expense of good nutrition, Bruning said.

Baladi agreed that for overall health, people should pay attention to what they eat, not just when.

She also, like other diets, does not have a time limit that is suitable for everyone and is not without its drawbacks.

According to her, in the first week or two, some people have headaches, dizziness, nausea and give up.

For more information

Details of Harvard Medical School Intermittent fasting..